All Magnolia grandiflora continuously drop spent parts in ones and twos for months at a time.

Monrovia has Bracken Brown Beauty magnolia showing as a moderate growing 30' to 50' tall tree. What exactly do you mean by a reasonable distance from a pool?

Southern magnolia debris is not the kind that blows around easy or decomposes quickly. It just falls and sits there. Cleanup is just a different texture with a bigger leaf. Awful is highly subjective and will vary by how obsessive compulsive an individual might be.

It is quite possible to have a Southern magnolia in proximity to a pool without a major debris problem. You can also plant them in ways that help absorb the leaves and lessen the cleanup.

If you can put where it is generally downwind & as far away as possible, that will help.

Except Magnolia grandiflora is particularly concerning as a garden litter source because the debris comes as a continuous dribble for months at a time (other broadleaf evergreen trees also tend to shed in this manner). Instead of a big dump once or twice per year, that can be picked up afterward and then done with for months at a time.

Also it produces a very dense shadow after it fills in. And tends to grow bigger than many common situations allow for - even the frequently seen 'Little Gem' cultivar that is marketed as "dwarf magnolia" actually has genetic programming to grow over 40 ft. tall. With the original seedling being noticed and propagated for being narrow rather than short.

The question is then, how truly offensive is it for the leaves to be sitting on the ground?

Original stated concern was

I don't want to have debris, cones and flowers blowing into the pool

My original response was "Southern magnolia debris is not the kind that blows around easy and what do you mean by a reasonable distance from the pool".

I can think of all kinds of trees that would be far more problematic about debris blowing into the pool planted a reasonable distance away.

Main specific issue with swimming pools is small sized plant debris getting into filters. Otherwise it's just a matter of being bothered by stuff floating on the water (or maybe sinking to the bottom at some point). So large parted plants like palms and bananas are what is recommended for landscaping around pools. With the magnolia also seeming to fit with its generally large parts - except maybe still the spent anthers or discharged seeds are problematic when pool filters are involved.

It just so happens I took a picture of one of the Magnolia grandiflora while I was down there at the old family garden. I can't say that I even noticed what was happening with all the leaf and cone debris.

This is pretty much typical of Southern Magnolia around here. As for me, I leave the fallen leaves in place so I don't have to mow under the tree.

How about someone give us the name of the plant, woody or herbaceous, that doesn't create some kind of debris -

@sam_md all that needs is a bed defining edge and you have the best no maintenance groundcover ever.

Thanks everyone... very helpful info. The tree would be far enough away that even at full growth, it will not drop the debris directly into the pool. The pictures for sure helped me get an idea of what to expect underneath so we can plan accordingly. We have a very wooded backyard already and it requires a lot of pool management to be sure we are not clogging filters and staining the plaster. Some of our trees drop acorns that blow into the pool and they are a bear that constantly requires stain management. So, we are well aware of how much work can go into debris management for the pool. I just wanted to make a well informed decision and your replies were exactly what we needed!

Don't keep us in suspense. Do we get a magnolia or not? They make great cut flowers to bring inside.

I have seven Southern Magnolias in my yard. I planted them several years ago as an allee and privacy wall. I would say that they produce most of their leaf debris in the mid to late Spring and then, not much at all. Yes, I am removing volumes of leaves in May and June, then not so much and almost nothing in the Fall when the other trees are dropping leaves big time. Grandiflora leaves also tend not to blow around, being succulent and weighty, they tend to drop immediately under the tree..., unlike a lot of other deciduous tree whose leaves blow across multiple yards. However, the OP really did not specify the dimensions of his/her yard ;and the distance from the pool. All Magnolias are relatively shallow rooted but send out roots across a wide area, and I would, frankly, be more concerned with those spreading roots and my pool liner, than the darn leaves or cones.